Prospect Info: 2018/19 Marlies & Prospects Thread Part VI

[showtime8]

The Marlies will go sign whatever top AHL player that is needed to keep the team winning, that is what they do and how they stay an elite team, it's been said already.

They will need to fill a hole if Mueller leaves. He was a big part of the Marlies success for the past 2 years. He was 9th in AHL scoring and hit his career high in goals with 33. I would sign him to a 1 year deal to keep him around. If it's not him, it will likely be a Zac Dalpe, Chris Bourque type of player that has kicked around the AHL and would be a good veteran presence with the Marlies.

 

[showtime8]

I don't think being shallow at C is a good enough reason to sign McGregor, and the issue is overstated at the AHL level. Mueller should be back, we also have Brooks, Engvall, Greening (if back), Conrad (AHL contract), as well as Elynuik and Ferguson as options from the Growlers. Many, and likely all, of these options are better than McGregor, who is a low upside player himself.

I would still give him an AHL deal to play with the Growlers though.

I hope they re-sign Mueller, but having those other players is not a good option.

Engvall was a winger that they converted to centre later in the year. Greening was good enough for a 4th line winger role, but I think he heads to Europe to play. The others are just guys that will bounce around to the AHL & ECHL. I believe they will offer McGregor an AHL contract & see if he develops into something (unless they are required to give him an ELC?)

They will need to address that position this off-season for the Marlies and really overall depth within the organization as a whole.

 

[Fogelhund]

Both Carter Verghaeghe and Peter Holland are UFA's, that have turned into very good AHL Centers. Both with history in the organization. I don't think you could go wrong, signing either one of them to a deal for the Marlies.

 

[showtime8]

Both Carter Verghaeghe and Peter Holland are UFA's, that have turned into very good AHL Centers. Both with history in the organization. I don't think you could go wrong, signing either one of them to a deal for the Marlies.

I believe Peter Holland signed a contract in Europe to start next season.

 

[Fogelhund]

I believe Peter Holland signed a contract in Europe to start next season.

Thank you for the correction. Peter Holland

 

[showtime8]

Thank you for the correction. Peter Holland

No problem. It's tough to keep track of the AHL contracts.

Carter Verhaeghe has turned into quite the player. Led the AHL in scoring this past season... followed by Bracco.

 

[deletethis]

Again I'm going to suggest Sam Carrick as a free agent for the Marlies. He'll help and not block someone's development. Heck, he could play well on the 3rd or 4th line and be a great help if the young players can do the heavy lifting on the top lines.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Again I'm going to suggest Sam Carrick as a free agent for the Marlies. He'll help and not block someone's development. Heck, he could play well on the 3rd or 4th line and be a great help if the young players can do the heavy lifting on the top lines.

Maybe for a 3C role like a Jooris would have filled (except hopefully better).

It depends on whether Joshua comes in TBH. I'd rather have a younger option with upside. Joshua is a nice prospect, but we may trade him for a late round pick.

 

[TML1967]

No problem. It's tough to keep track of the AHL contracts.

Carter Verhaeghe has turned into quite the player. Led the AHL in scoring this past season... followed by Bracco.

Verhaege would be a great get, but id assume he would want an NHL contract.
The benefit of a guy like Mueller is we can likely sign him to an AHL deal and pay him NHL type money anyway.
-Doesnt coutn towards our 50 contracts
- He gets paid 900k anyway
- If we suffer a ton of injuries and he needs to be called up, we can just sign him to an NHL deal at that point.

If we can sign Verhaege id be 100% down as he is still only 23 (24 before next year) and is young enough to have NHL upside. If his skating takes another half step he could be a solid NHLer. (Also him with Bracco next year would be amazing)

 

[Borschevsky]

Gordeev and McGregor going back into the draft. Dakota Joshua becoming a UFA

 

[Leafs at Knight]

I think McGregor should've been given a shot if not both of them.

Hollowell and Brazeau both made the OHL 1st all star team

 

[BorntoLose]

interesting wonder if they were both Hunter picks would make sense

 

[Leaf Fans]

Gordeev and McGregor going back into the draft. Dakota Joshua becoming a UFA

For sure?

 

[Magic Man]

Maybe for a 3C role like a Jooris would have filled (except hopefully better).

It depends on whether Joshua comes in TBH. I'd rather have a younger option with upside. Joshua is a nice prospect, but we may trade him for a late round pick.

After scoring 61 points in 61 games and 14 points in 16 playoff games, I would say he'd almost have to be the 1st line center, he's become a better player since leaving the Marlies.

 

[showtime8]

I think McGregor should've been given a shot if not both of them.

Hollowell and Brazeau both made the OHL 1st all star team

The best opportunity for McGregor & Gordeev is to go back into the draft. The best case scenario is that they get selected in the mid rounds and a team takes a chance with an ELC. The worst case scenario is they get don't get deals, but still receive AHL deals. But they have nothing to lose at this point to go back in the draft.

 

[TML1967]

Seeing Brazeau make OHL 1st all star team is amazing.
I hope he is/has been spending every day with Barb Underhill.

If so, he has had 2?? months of time just working on skating, conditioning and skills development already and with a full summer ahead of him.

IMO, thats the most important thing, and where the Leafs need to be using their sizeable bank accounts to find an advantage.

Sign guys that show they can play that require no spent assets, give them over to skating gurus and give them like a 6 month crash course in whatever they need to have success.

Brazeau has a solid shot, thinks the game well and has a nose for the net, a decent amount of grit in the OHL, and a solid defensive winger. His issues has always been skating, and if he can improve that there is no reason he cant have solid NHL upside as a physically imposing mid 6 winger.

Think of a guy the size of Nick Bjugstad/Brian Boyle whos predominant junior career thing was scoring goals. If developed properly he can be an interesting guy to have that we are lacking

 

[deletethis]

It's a little disappointing when certain draft picks aren't signed but I do like that the Leafs are being judicious for the most part with these ELCs. This leaves contract spots open for higher percentage NCAA and European free agent ELCs. The Leafs might miss signing a future marginal NHL eventually letting certain draft picks walk but one day they will hit serious paydirt on one of these free agent ELCs.

The only recent ELC that seriously jumped the gun was the SDA ELC. He looked pretty good at his first NHL camp but there was no rush. I think Dubas just got a little carried away with thinking he had gamed the draft with the youngest player in the draft. One blip in an overall good strategy with regards to ELCs.

P.S. One of McGregor or Gordeev may yet sign today. The deadline to sign Dakota Joshua is August 15th, I think.

 

[justafan22]

In the 2016 and 2017 drafts (The Hunter led ones), 5 of the 9 non first rounds picks have had their rights expire and not been given ELCs

 

[SeaOfBlue]

It's a little disappointing when certain draft picks aren't signed but I do like that the Leafs are being judicious for the most part with these ELCs. This leaves contract spots open for higher percentage NCAA and European free agent ELCs. The Leafs might miss signing a future marginal NHL eventually letting certain draft picks walk but one day they will hit serious paydirt on one of these free agent ELCs.

The only recent ELC that seriously jumped the gun was the SDA ELC. He looked pretty good at his first NHL camp but there was no rush. I think Dubas just got a little carried away with thinking he had gamed the draft with the youngest player in the draft. One blip in an overall good strategy with regards to ELCs.

P.S. One of McGregor or Gordeev may yet sign today. The deadline to sign Dakota Joshua is August 15th, I think.

They will probably trade Joshua, and apparently they already traded Gordeev. McGregor will likely go Undrafted and then it is up to him if he wants an AHL deal.

Noel Hoefenmeyer is a guy the Leafs may want to snag as a D+2 after going unsigned.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

In the 2016 and 2017 drafts (The Hunter led ones), 5 of the 9 non first rounds picks have had their rights expire and not been given ELCs

And more will likely join. At least Dubas is getting something out of their rights in some cases.

 

[justafan22]

And more will likely join. At least Dubas is getting something out of their rights in some cases.

My mistake, it was 5 of the 9 CHL picks had their rights expire.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

My mistake, it was 5 of the 9 CHL picks had their rights expire.

I think Dubas will do better than Hunter. I expect him to manipulate the rights rules a lot better than Hunter. If he goes after a raw project like Gordeev, I think he goes after guys going the NCAA or Euro route instead. Essentially, going with Greenway instead. Because Gordeev could be good, but if he needs 4 or 5 years, we need to risk an ELC to see him through. Whereas you see Greenway, who had some road bumps along the way but still has huge potential like Gordeev, and we still keep him for 2 more years to see him through.

I would have been fine with McGregor and Gordeev on the Marlies next year, maybe even on an ELC, but now Kral may get a shot and he did look pretty good this year.

 

[Orfieus]

Remember when this was 100% true, I think people only started to change their mind after a few games in the playoffs

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I hope the Leafs can find Joshua a home and get a pick back. It would be nice to fill in the holes we have in the 5th or 6th round, but that may be wishful thinking.

I feel like the Leafs could give McGregor a chance on an AHL deal for next year.

 

[justafan22]

I hope the Leafs can find Joshua a home and get a pick back. It would be nice to fill in the holes we have in the 5th or 6th round, but that may be wishful thinking.

I feel like the Leafs could give McGregor a chance on an AHL deal for next year.

Yup